"What happened?" she repeated, frowning at her mother's vague response and clear change of subject. She resisted the urge to take up her mother's hands an examine them more thoroughly. This was still her mother, after all, and she owed her some respect... enough that she'd sneak a closer peek with telescopic vision without letting her mom know.
"I'm..." She took in a bit of a shaky breath. "I'm okay. I'm..." Waiting for her dad to show up and shout GOTCHA, calling his voice mail to hear his voice, trying to come up with a way to explain to her kids why grandpa wouldn't be around anymore. "I'm fine."